Thomas L. Morgart, Connecticut State Conservationist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced a second application period for the agency’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

CSP is perfect for agricultural producers who want to continue to farm, or forest landowners wanting to manage their forestland, but want to use less resources and have less of an effect on the land. Some of the benefits include increased crop yields, decreased inputs, wildlife population improvements, and better resilience to weather extremes.

Through CSP, NRCS helps private landowners build their business while implementing conservation practices that help ensure the sustainability of their entire operation. Agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities such as cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agricultural production on their land. CSP also encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and new management techniques such as precision agriculture applications, on-site carbon storage and planting for high carbon sequestration rates, and new soil amendments to improve water quality.

The program helps producers better evaluate conservation options and benefits to their operations, as well as to our natural resources. Methods and software for evaluating applications help producers see why they are – or are not – meeting stewardship thresholds and allow them to pick practices that work for their objectives. These tools also enable them to see potential payment scenarios for conservation early in the process.

While applications for CSP are accepted year-round, to be considered for FY2023 funds they must be received by December 16, 2022.

Interested? Find out if you’re qualified for CSP by contacting your local USDA service center or visiting the How to Get Assistance portion of our website.